Experts Matter. Find Yours.
Connect for media, speaking, professional opportunities & more.
Health Professions Academic Building on the Armstrong Campus in Savannah Georgia’s only public medical school has received funding approval to open a new four-year campus in Savannah, an expansion that will provide greater access to education and training for medical students and ease the state’s ongoing shortage of physicians. The new campus of Augusta University’s Medical College of Georgia (MCG) is expected to enroll its first students on the Armstrong Campus of Georgia Southern University by Fall 2024, pending approval by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education, the accrediting body for medical schools in the U.S. and Canada. The campus will be located in the existing Armstrong Center and the Health Professions Academic Building of Georgia Southern’s Waters College of Health Professions. Located down the street from Savannah’s St. Joseph’s Hospital, it would be MCG’s third four-year campus in Georgia. The MCG educational experience is anchored at its main campus in Augusta, with another four-year campus located in Athens in partnership with the University of Georgia. “Georgia ranks 40th in the nation for both the number of active physicians and the number of primary care doctors,” Georgia House Speaker Jon Burns said. “Georgians experience this reality every day. Increasing opportunities within the University System of Georgia allows Augusta University’s Medical College of Georgia to educate and train more students and meets a clear need to make sure our communities receive better health care. Georgia needs more doctors, and I’m proud we are making this investment in our future.” The Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia (USG) on Tuesday approved $1.7 million for renovations at Georgia Southern’s Armstrong Campus to help make the new campus a reality. The money was included in the fiscal year 2024 state budget passed earlier this year by the Georgia General Assembly and signed by Gov. Brian Kemp on May 5. “We’re grateful to Governor Kemp, Speaker Burns, Lt. Gov. Jones and the General Assembly for their support in helping MCG and the university system expand one of the best public medical colleges in the nation and help get more doctors into our local communities,” USG Chancellor Sonny Perdue said. Four-year campuses provide the full spectrum of medical education, from basic sciences to clinical experiences. “This campus expansion is a momentous milestone for Augusta University and the Medical College of Georgia, standing as a testament to the unwavering support we have received from Speaker Burns, state Rep. Butch Parrish, Governor Kemp, the entire General Assembly and Chancellor Perdue,” said Augusta University President Brooks A. Keel, PhD. “Through this collaboration, we are forging a brighter future for health care in Georgia and fulfilling our shared commitment to producing more doctors for our state. I extend my deepest gratitude to all those who have championed this vision, including St. Joseph’s/Candler Health System, whose exceptional partnership has provided invaluable clinical experiences for our students. Together, we are bolstering the state’s medical community and strengthening Southeast Georgia’s access to quality health care.” MCG’s statewide educational model also has students learning at two-year, clinically focused regional campuses in every corner of the state, including the Southeast Campus, established in 2011 and based at St. Joseph’s/Candler in Savannah, and Southeast Georgia Health System in Brunswick. Other regional campuses include the Southwest Campus based in Albany and the Northwest Campus based in Rome. “This partnership with Augusta University and the Medical College of Georgia is another example of how together, the governor, our legislators, the University System of Georgia and Georgia Southern University are collaborating to meet the growing needs of Southeast Georgia,” added Georgia Southern University President Kyle Marrero. “These programs on our Savannah campus further Armstrong’s history of being a leader in training health care professionals and complement our efforts to expand nursing education and develop our future physician assistant program.” Through this partnership, Georgia Southern is providing approximately 23,000 square feet of instructional and lab space in its Armstrong Center and the Waters College of Health Professions’ Health Professions Academic Building. This includes 10,000 square feet of dedicated student group workspace and faculty and staff offices and 13,000 square feet of shared anatomy lab and large classroom space. The renovations include the creation of a new anatomy lab within the Health Professions Building, as well as minor renovations and new furniture, fixtures and equipment for the student group workspace and faculty and staff offices. The new campus would allow MCG to accept 40 more students per year, increasing its class size, already one of the nation’s largest, to 304 students per class. “As the state’s only public medical school, it is both our responsibility and commitment to produce more doctors for Georgia, and this growth in our class size is one way we can fulfill what I consider to be our most critical mission” said MCG Dean David Hess, MD. “This expansion would not be possible without the support of Governor Kemp, the Georgia Legislature, the University System of Georgia, Augusta University President Brooks Keel, and our colleagues at Georgia Southern University. I am also thankful for the unwavering support of St. Joseph’s/Candler Health System, including its CEO Paul Hinchey and chief medical officer Dr. Julia Mikell, a 1976 MCG graduate. Physicians and staff at St. Joseph’s/Candler have been exceptional educational partners, serving as a home base for our Southeast Campus, and providing rich clinical experiences for our third- and fourth-year students, for well over a decade. I know that commitment will extend to students at this new four-year campus.” “This is a sentinel event not only for the future of health care in Georgia, but also for Savannah and the region,” added Paul P. Hinchey, president and CEO of St. Joseph’s/Candler. “We have had a great relationship with MCG for more than a decade and our physicians have been instrumental as faculty in teaching third- and fourth-year students in Savannah. SJ/C has also served as a longstanding clinical site for nursing students from Georgia Southern and from the Armstrong campus. Creating a four-year medical school campus in Savannah will strengthen the medical community in Savannah and throughout Southeast Georgia. I want to thank Speaker Burns, Dr. Hess and the University System of Georgia for making this great vision a reality.” “I am excited to help build a campus that will continue MCG’s mission of educating the next generation of physicians,” said Elizabeth Gray, MD, associate dean at MCG’s Southeast Campus, based in Savannah and Brunswick. “I am confident that Georgia Southern will be an exceptional educational partner, and am excited to continue working with the leadership, physicians and staff at our longtime partners St. Joseph’s/Candler to help increase the number of physicians in this area of the state and beyond.” Interested in learning more? For more information about this exciting new development — simply reach out to Georgia Southern's Director of Communications Jennifer Wise at jwise@georgiasouthern.edu to arrange an interview today.
Why does Alabama have more gun deaths than New York? UConn expert explains.
Only five million people live in Alabama, but the state has the fourth highest firearms death rate in the country. In 2021, the state had 26.4 firearm deaths per 100,000 people, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Compared to New York -- a state with about 20 million people and a rate of 5.4 gun deaths per 100,000 in 2021 -- the question becomes: Why does such a small state rank so high for gun violence? UConn expert Kerri Raissian offered perspective and insight on the causes and reasons why these tragic incidents occur in specific regions and states more often across America in an interview with the Alabama Reflector: A 2019 brief published by the Rockefeller Institute of Government, a nonprofit research center for the State University of New York (SUNY) system, said universal background checks, concealed carry permits and laws prohibiting people who have committed violent misdemeanors reduce gun homicides. “One policy that has come up against legal challenges recently has been not allowing people under the age of 21 years old to have certain guns or types of weapons,” Raissian said. “It is helpful. That age group has the highest risk of perpetuating homicides of any age group in the U.S.” Social policies can also deter gun violence. “It is laws, it is access to guns, it is also poverty,” Raissian said. “We have a lot of evidence that laws that you wouldn’t think have anything to do with gun violence, like Medicaid access, summer school for kids, employment opportunities for kids, are really good at reducing gun violence.” Raissian cited a randomized controlled trial of a youth summer employment program that was established in Chicago that had reduced incidents of gun violence compared to a control group. “It is not just about keeping them busy because these differences persist,” Raissian said. “It is also learning conflict resolution. It is also learning communication skills — all those things that come from employment and positive interactions tend to reduce violence of any form.” But Raissian and Grant Reeher, a professor of political science at Syracuse University, both said no single law will solve the issues of gun violence. The full article is attached above, and well worth the read. Kerri Raissian is an associate professor in the School of Public Policy at the University of Connecticut, director of the University of Connecticut's UConn’s Center for Advancing Research, Methods, and Scholarship (ARMS) in Gun Violence Prevention, and co-director of the Institute for Collaboration on Health, Intervention, and Policy (InCHIP) Gun Violence Prevention Research Interest Group. She is available to speak to media about this important topic - simply click on her icon now to arrange an interview today.
CEO Compensation: What's the Limit of 'A Lot'?
Should corporate executives be paid a lot? Yes, says management expert David Souder, a professor in the UConn School of Business Boucher Management & Entrepreneurship Department. But, he says, "What's the limit of 'a lot'?" “It’s proven very hard to determine where it stops being the appropriate amount of ‘a lot,'" says Souder in an interview with Hearst Connecticut Media. The highest-paid CEO in this year’s Equilar 100 was Peloton Interactive’s Barry McCarthy, whose awarded compensation totaled about $168 million. At No. 2 was Apple’s Tim Cook, whose awarded remuneration amounted to about $99 million. Equilar’s survey also highlighted the huge gap between CEO compensation and the income of rank-and-file workers. Last year, there was a median ratio of 288 between CEO compensation and median worker pay; the ratio was 254 in 2021. The compensation awarded last year to Cigna’s Cordani equated to about 277 times his company’s median worker pay of $75,627, according to Equilar. Including several thousand employees based in Connecticut, Cigna operates globally with more than 70,000 employees. At many companies, shareholders weigh in on executive compensation through “say on pay” proposals that let them cast advisory votes. Shareholders typically endorse remuneration, as seen in the results of Cigna’s 2023 shareholders meeting that was held on April 26. About 221 million votes were cast in support of the company's executive compensation, compared with nearly 30 million votes against, about 18 million “broker non votes” and nearly 612,000 abstentions. Some progressive elected officials such as Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vermont, and Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Massachusetts, are unhappy with CEO compensation levels at large companies because they believe their pay constitutes corporate greed that hurts rank-and-file workers. Among their proposals, they have sought to pass legislation that would increase taxes on companies that pay their CEOs more than 50 times the median level. “The pay disparities raise questions that are very hard to answer,” Souder said. “If you want an experienced chief executive, and they’ve been paid at these (exceptionally high) levels, then you have to also pay at these levels. And nobody wants a below-average CEO. So you end up with these subtle underlying pressures that cause CEO pay to rise.” David Souder specializes in strategic management and is available to speak with the media. Click his icon to arrange an interview today.
Aston University accounting students recognised by software developers
Students received a certificate and micro-credential from Tim O’Reilly Tim has pioneered the creation of the first auto-marked digital cloud financial skills (DCFS) 50 students voluntarily did the online course and took the final test. Accounting students at Aston University have received prizes from the leader in cloud accounting and financial management software. Tim O’Reilly, accountants partnership manager at Sage, visited the Accounting Department on Tuesday 25 April to meet with them. Tim has pioneered the creation of the first auto-marked digital cloud financial skills (DCFS) course supported jointly by Sage and the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA). It gives successful students a certificate and micro-credential. Aston University accounting students used it for the first time in 2022/23 guided by senior teaching fellow, Jonathan Mills. 50 students voluntarily did the online course and took the final test. Professor Andy Lymer, head of the Accounting department at Aston University, said: “Tim was really impressed with the set of results and gave prizes to the three students that performed best overall in the DCFS course and the Accounting in Practice module. “I am really pleased with the success of the first run of this digital skills course and I look forward to inviting Sage representatives to return in the summer to strategise on expanding our work together to enhance employability and digital skills.”
Aston University appoints new Deputy Vice-Chancellor Academic
Professor Osama Khan has nearly 20 years’ experience as an academic leader and innovator He will lead academic strategy, new educational model and student experience strategy in line with Aston 2030 Strategy Osama will join Aston University in October 2023. Aston University has appointed Professor Osama Khan as its new Deputy Vice-Chancellor Academic. With a successful career in higher education for nearly 20 years, Professor Khan will be joining Aston University from the University of Surrey where he is currently Pro-Vice-Chancellor Academic, leading on education strategy, teaching excellence and student learning experience. In his new role, he will play a central part in the development of Aston University’s academic strategy in line with the University 2030 Strategy. Responsibilities will include leading the University's academic portfolio incorporating education, curriculum, digital offerings, careers and placements, library and information services, student experience and services. Educated at Independent University, Bangladesh, University of Surrey and University of Cambridge, Osama began his academic career as a lecturer (and then senior teaching fellow) at University of Surrey in 2004. He moved to Solent University in 2012, where he held a variety of roles including director of learning and teaching at Solent Learning and Teaching Institute. He was appointed the first Pro Vice-Chancellor, Students and Teaching at Solent University leading on curriculum, digital services, learning space transformation. He was appointed as Vice-Provost, Education at University of Surrey in 2019. Subsequently his remit extended to form the Pro Vice-Chancellor, Academic portfolio with responsibility for education, curriculum, student services, digital transformation, and learning spaces. He has 25 years of teaching experience in corporate finance at various renowned universities. Professor Aleks Subic, Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive of Aston University, said: “I am delighted to welcome Osama to Aston University and the executive team at a crucial time when we are shaping our bold strategy for 2030 and beyond. “Osama is a proven academic leader and innovator, who has who has achieved sector leading outcomes in student experience and educational quality. His strong commitment to values-based leadership is aligned well with our approach to working with our people and the diverse communities we serve. “I look forward to working with Osama to position Aston University as the leading university in the United Kingdom for student experience, employability and social mobility.” Professor Osama Khan said: “Aston University's unwavering commitment to academic excellence, coupled with its dedication to equality, diversity and inclusion, resonates deeply with me. Moreover, I commend Aston University's efforts in narrowing the awarding gaps, striving for equity in education and promoting fairness in the academic journey, for it is through education that we empower generations and create lasting impact. “I am honoured to join this creative institution as its next Deputy Vice-Chancellor Academic, where we will prioritise inclusive education and foster an environment where every individual can thrive and succeed. “I eagerly look forward to working with our exceptional faculty, dedicated staff, and talented students to shape the next chapter of excellence through the new Aston University 2030 strategy. Together, we will transform lives, foster innovation and forge a path towards a brighter tomorrow." Professor Khan will be taking up his post in October 2023.
The memorandum of understanding (MoU) will strengthen existing partnership and form basis for future collaborations Official signing took place during an official visit by delegation from NEFU and AEMG on 22 May Delegation met senior staff from College of Engineering and Physical Sciences as well as NEFU students studying at Aston University. Aston University in Birmingham, UK and Northeast Forestry University (NEFU) in Harbin City in Heilongjiang Province, China have signed a memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to develop their strategic partnership. The MoU will see the universities renew and strengthen their existing partnership and explore future collaborations in the areas of both teaching and research. The partnership is facilitated by AEMG Education, who have over 20 years of experience in brokering strategic relationships with Chinese universities. The official signing by Professor Aleks Subic, Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive of Aston University, Professor Li Shunlong, Vice President of Northeast Forestry University and Mr Stephen Connelly, Vice President of AEMG Education, took place on 22 May during a visit to Aston University by a senior delegation from NEFU and AEMG Education. The delegation from NEFU also included Professor Liu Zhiming, Dean of Aulin College, Mr Sun Zhiping, Director of the International Cooperation Office and Professor Li Hongfen, Associate Professor of the College of Civil Engineering. AEMG Education was represented by Mr Stephen Connelly, Vice President of Business Development and Engagement, Dr Jacko Feng, Director of Research and Partnerships and Ms Sarah Armstrong, Director of Business Development, UK & Europe. During the visit, the delegation met with senior staff from the Department of Civil Engineering and the College of Engineering and Physical Sciences, including Executive Dean, Professor Stephen Garrett. They also had the opportunity to meet with the NEFU students studying at Aston University who have just completed their final year examinations. The Aston University/NEFU partnership was established around the development of a joint programme in BSc Construction Project Management which was approved by the Chinese Ministry of Education (MoE) in January 2018, under which students from NEFU are able to transfer into the final year of the programme at Aston University. In 2021/22, the first cohort of 21 students successfully finished their studies,10 of whom achieved first class degrees. Professor Aleks Subic, Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive of Aston University, commented: “I am delighted to welcome visitors from NEFU and AEMG to Aston University and to sign the Memorandum of Understanding with NEFU. “This represents an important milestone in taking forward our collaboration. We are committed to continuing to strengthen our strategic relationship with NEFU and look forward to welcoming more students in the future.”
Aston University staff to take on zip wire challenge in aid of the Midland Met Appeal
Four University staff will take on the 160ft high zip wire challenge on 1 July 2023 The event is set to take place at the Midland Metropolitan University Hospital in Smethwick The event aims to raise awareness and funds for the Midland Met Appeal. Four Aston University staff members are set to take on a 160ft high zip wire challenge on Saturday 1 July to raise money for the Midland Met Appeal. The event is run by Your Trust Charity, the Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust's registered charity will take place at the Midland Metropolitan University Hospital in Smethwick. The zip wire challenge will take place from the top of a crane positioned on-site, with a length of 220 metres and speeds of up to 35mph. The challenge will see colleagues Rosa Amato, Sarah Collins, Matilda Blackwell and Adam Basdogan taking the plunge. The event aims to raise awareness and funds for the Midland Met Appeal, a campaign to raise £2 million to fund healthcare and facilities in the new hospital. All money raised from the challenge will go directly to the appeal. Rosa said: “We are thrilled to be taking on this exciting challenge in support of the Midland Met Appeal. “It's a great opportunity for us to raise funds for a cause we are passionate about while having a lot of fun in the process. “Members of the public can show their support for the Aston University team and the Midland Met Appeal by making a donation to the Your Trust Charity's JustGiving page. “Every donation counts, and together, we can make a real difference in improving healthcare for patients in the Midlands.” For more information and to make a donation, click here.
Experts from the Centre for Personal Financial Wellbeing will examine the daily financial struggles of low to moderate income UK households The Real Accounts project will capture day-to-day financial fluctuations, understanding household money management strategies It is hoped the results will help inform policy and market innovation and debate. New research by the Centre for Personal Financial Wellbeing at Aston University will shine a light on the real day-to-day experience of financial uncertainty among UK households and help inform policy and market innovation and debate. The Real Accounts project will build an in-depth understanding of the lived experience of financial uncertainty among low to moderate income households across the country. Believed to be the first of its kind in the UK and in contrast with the snapshot data achieved by annual surveys, this long-term study will provide a fully joined-up view of household finances, capturing the day-to-day, week-to-week ups and downs, working with households to understand the situations they face and the strategies they use to manage their money. The project will be a collaboration with Nest Insight and the Yunus Centre for Social Business and Health at Glasgow Caledonian University. Experts will use a research data collection app that has been custom designed by Moneyhub to capture real-time income and expenditure transaction data over six months for a sample of around 50 low to moderate income households, combined with monthly interviewing. Professor Andy Lymer, director of the Centre for Personal Financial Wellbeing at Aston University, said: “We are really pleased to be part of this innovative project, directly focusing on real experiences of managing financial volatility and the impact that has on broader aspects of wellbeing. Too little is currently known about the scope and scale of income and expense volatility experienced by UK households. This research is really timely given people are currently facing the very significant impact of the cost-of-living crisis and often enormous uncertainty about both their incomes and their expenditures. The outcomes of this work will generate deeper understanding of what it means to experience financial challenges in reality and over sustained periods of time. It will contribute to finding better ways to help people in their everyday lives and is a perfect fit for the focus of our Centre that seeks to deepen our understanding of what matters in creating personal financial wellbeing.” Sope Otulana, head of research at Nest Insight, said: “As the rising cost of living continues to impact households across the country, and levels of household debt climb, this research is more crucial than ever. The project aims to shine a light on exactly what it is like for households today managing volatile income and expenditure, sharing their first-hand stories. While large income and expenditure datasets track individuals and their behaviour out in the world, this research puts individuals back into the contexts where their financial lives play out, focussing on the overall household – partners, parents, siblings, friends and other social connections. It will look beyond the balance sheet to also analyse social, environmental, and health factors, as well as other dynamics that can come into play and affect household finances. The research will identify trends but also capture the variation within households, recognising that there is no ‘average’ household circumstance or experience.” Alex Christopoulos, Aviva Foundation lead and senior strategic adviser and consultant, said: “Millions in the UK are struggling and worried about money. The Real Accounts research provides us with an opportunity to understand how these households are managing to get by day-to-day; the choices they make, the strategies they take and the knock-on effects this has on other areas of their life. In uncertain times, we need to better understand how people deal with fluctuations in their incomings and outgoings – and what kinds of financial support and services might enable them to build a buffer, and a plan, to deal with today’s pressures, as well as what tomorrow may bring. The Aviva Foundation is proud to be supporting Nest Insight and its partners to deliver to the Real Accounts research.” Samantha Seaton, CEO of Moneyhub, said: “It is only when we have in-depth and holistic data on a person's or household’s finances that we can truly know and begin to understand the impact of the rising cost of living. This can only be successfully achieved by bringing all of an individual's or household’s financial data together in one place, from every-day spending to long-term projects such as buying a property and saving for retirement. At Moneyhub, we’re absolutely delighted to be providing our cutting-edge technology to enable Nest Insight and its partners to collect and analyse this crucial data. We know from our own users the pressure that the current economic situation is placing on them, with many unable to save resorting to borrowing to get by each month. Having thorough data and insight will enable any solution to be highly personalised in its approach and have a much more positive impact on those that require it most. Ultimately the more real-time financial data points, the more informed the decisions can be. It has always been our purpose at Moneyhub to improve financial wellness, and this project is just one example of how we’re using Open Finance to do exactly that.” You can find out more about the project here.
The management Knowledge Transfer Partnership (mKTP) with Beever and Struthers will help drive the firm’s digital transformation The 30-month programme will specifically aim to develop, embed and exploit smart data driven technologies It will enable the business to increase quality, productivity and capacity. Aston University has begun a management Knowledge Transfer Partnership (mKTP) with nationwide accountants and business advisors Beever and Struthers to help drive the firm’s digital transformation. A management Knowledge Transfer Partnership is built around identifying strategic management-based initiatives to increase business effectiveness and improve management practices. As part of the mKTP, led by Aston University in collaboration with Professor Brian Nicholson and Dr Sung Hwan Chai (Alliance Manchester Business School), Dr George Moyenda Salijeni (Aston Business School) and the team will conduct a comprehensive evaluation of Beever and Struthers' existing data systems. Following the assessment, specific methodologies will be proposed to ensure alignment between the mKTP and the firm's ongoing data systems. The 30-month programme will aim to develop, embed and exploit smart data driven technologies within the audit function, enabling the business to increase the quality, productivity and capacity to deliver additional insight and value to clients. Dr George Salijeni, a lecturer in accounting at Aston Business School and an expert in data analytics tools used in external audits and knowledge base supervisor in the mKTP, said: “This mKTP offers an opportunity to share and utilise knowledge and technical exposure which academics at Aston University and Alliance Manchester Business School have gained and generated over the years through undertaking multi-disciplinary research and engagements with practitioners and audit regulators on data driven technologies which include artificial intelligence. Potentially, this project generates insights, workflows which could impact and transform the way audits are performed by leveraging data driven analytics tools and models.” Michael Tourville, partner at Beever and Struthers, said: “Given that the business has been around for up to 125 years it is quite traditional in its approach, but we are now keen to embrace the opportunities that a truly digital transformation could offer. Although we are a firm with a long history, we are also an entrepreneurial business and are keen to grasp opportunities when we see them. This mKTP is all about giving our clients more insight and helping us navigate data far better too. The main improvements for us will come from increased efficiency and insight, but we will also be able to further improve the quality of the service we offer.” Professor Andy Lymer, head of the Accounting Department at Aston University, said: “Digital approaches to accounting are increasingly at the heart of how the accounting industry works – and therefore increasingly at the heart of what we teach and research related to this industry and its practices. This extremely innovative project will enable us to work with the partners in this programme to go in depth into an organisation exploring how the use of the latest developments in the use of digital tools such as advanced data analytics can further enhance the processes of audit. The experience and knowledge gained in this work will be brought back into the classroom for our students to benefit from also.”
Aston University student and graduate business startup support programme marks 10th year
BSEEN is a collaboration of four Birmingham universities, led by Aston University It has helped over 800 new businesses to launch through intensive startup bootcamps and a network of business mentors An awards dinner was held on 4 May to celebrate a decade in operation. An Aston University student and graduate business startup support programme has celebrated its 10th year in operation. BSEEN, a collaboration of four Birmingham universities led by Aston University, marked a decade of supporting student and graduate entrepreneurs with an awards dinner on 4 May 2023. Mike Bander, an Aston University alumnus and recipient of an honorary doctorate, was guest speaker and gave a keynote speech. The programme has helped over 800 new businesses to launch through 31 intensive startup bootcamps and a network of 85 business mentors. The awards night at Fazeley Studios in Birmingham showcased the student and graduate entrepreneurs supported by BSEEN and the mentors and professional services organisations who have worked to help startups through surgeries, drop-ins and round table discussions. Mike Bandar, international business trainer and speaker and founding partner of Turn Partners, said: “The power of the collective community has changed “I” into “us”. Personal ambition is essential, but the true spirit of entrepreneurship is to unite, collaborate and transform. Diversity gives us strength by not seeing competitors as rivals, but partners.” Professor Zoe Radnor, pro-vice chancellor and executive dean of the College of Business and Social Sciences at Aston University, said: “I have heard so much about BSEEN that was amazing and I am looking forward to supporting young people to achieve their goals despite European funding for the scheme coming to an end.” Paula Whitehouse, deputy dean for enterprise and engagement at Aston University, said: “The programme has delivered a big social and economic impact with businesses ranging from hand-crafted paper goods to medical devices.” Carolyn Keenan, BSEEN project manager, said: “It has been a privilege to be involved with the programme from the beginning.” The eight awards presented during the event went to the following: BSEEN Rising Star Winner: Ruth Mestel and Charis McRoberts, Calathea Arts Highly Commended: Denise Amory-Reid, Amory R Management BSEEN Champion Award Winner: Ben Brophy, Ad Valorem Accountants Highly Commended: Richard Freeman and Jamie Partington, Higgs LLP Award for Technology Winner: Alliyah and Amirah Khan, Our Tied Camel Highly Commended: Safe Queen Team Award for Creative Industries Winner: Morgan Grice, Odd Orange Highly Commended: Andrea Craciun, Sweetest Mango Illustration Award for Innovation Winner: David Akraka, Akreon Technology Highly Commended: Hardeep Randhawa, ProLimbs Award for Social Impact Winner: Cleo Morris, Mission Diverse Highly Commended: Jamaal O’Driscoll, O’D Collective BSEEN Community Award Winner: Shovon Wiggan, Inspire-a-Doll Highly Commended: Janani Prasad, Supabite.com Award for Small Business Growth Winner: Bobby Bradstock, Serenity Psychotherapy Highly Commended: Joseph Housley and Connor Watt, Narce Media and Ben Curtis, Hobby Store Group. To find out more about the BSEEN programme, click here.